EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK - Tennessee

1 EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK NOVEMBER 2015 STATE OF Tennessee EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Table of Contents Introduction Introduction .. 1 State Organizational Chart .. 2 Management s Role .. 3 Successful Onboarding .. 4 The EMPLOYEE s Role .. 5 Compensation Pay Periods .. 6 Direct Deposit .. 6 Deductions .. 6 Longevity .. 7 Overtime .. 7 Compensatory Time .. 8 Prior EMPLOYEE Benefits Deferred Sick Leave Donated Service EMPLOYEE Suggestion Award Tennessee Employees Charitable Learning and Fee Waiver/Fee Attendance and Leave Hours of Lunch Rest Wellness Leave Employees Eligible to Accrue Employees Ineligible to Accrue Annual Leave.

2 18 Sick Leave .. 19 Leave for Adoption, Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Infant Nursing .. 20 Family Leave .. 21 Adoptive Leave .. 22 Family Medical Leave Act .. 22 Civil 22 Military Leave .. 22 Bereavement Leave .. 23 Discretionary Leave with Pay .. 23 Special Leave State Assessments and Interviews .. 23 Elections .. 23 Inclement Weather .. 24 Disaster Leave .. 24 General Personnel Practices & Administrative Guidelines Equal Employment Performance Management .. 26 Probationary Periods.

3 27 Promotions/Transfers .. 28 Public Relations - Conflict of Interest ..28 Political Activity ..29 Personnel Records ..29 EMPLOYEE Identification ..30 Equipment & Supplies ..30 Telephone Use ..30 Computer Use ..31 Solicitation ..31 Gifts and Contributions ..31 Personal Property ..31 Dress and Grooming ..32 Health and Safety Workers Comp/Accidents/ Injured in the Line of Duty ..33 ParTNers Health & Wellness Center ..33 ParTNers for Health Wellness ParTNers EMPLOYEE Assistance Program (EAP).

4 34 Drug-Free Workplace ..35 Smoking Policy ..35 EMPLOYEE Conduct Work Performance and Conduct .. 36 Disciplinary Action .. 38 Oral Warning .. 38 Written Warning .. 38 Suspension Without Pay .. 39 Dismissal .. 39 Transfer or Demotion .. 39 Appeals .. 39 Mediation .. 40 Fraud, Waste and Abuse .. 40 Separations Resignation .. 41 Dismissal .. 41 Job Abandonment .. 41 Return of State Property .. 41 Appendix EMPLOYEE Human Resource Attachment 1 EMPLOYEE Policy 2 New EMPLOYEE 3 1 Introduction This manual has been designed to outline and summarize basic personnel policies, EMPLOYEE benefits, EMPLOYEE responsibility and general personnel practices.

5 This HANDBOOK is intended for all employees in the state service. This HANDBOOK was developed to provide general guidelines about the State s policies and procedures for employees; however, this HANDBOOK is not intended to state contractual terms and does not constitute a contract between the State of Tennessee and its employees, applicants for employment, or parties who do business with the State of Tennessee . This document is also not a complete review of policies and procedures that regulate the all human resources actions in state government.

6 For additional information regarding the Rules of the Tennessee Department of Human Resources, please contact your agency s human resources office or see the Rules or the policies, which are posted on the website for the Department of Human Resources. 2 3 Management s Role On the first day of employment, the immediate supervisor, human resources office, or other designee (representative) should discuss, at a minimum, the following topics with the EMPLOYEE : 1. Working hours; 2.

7 Breaks and lunch periods; 3. Location of facilities; a. Restrooms b. Lunch and break areas 4. Health and safety considerations; a. Physical safety procedures b. Fire escapes c. Exits (layout of building) d. Procedures for fire drills e. Location of first aid kits f. Procedures for reporting fires, bomb threats, or other emergencies. A small card listing emergency numbers and other critical data that the EMPLOYEE can affix to the desk or work surface is helpful.

8 5. Paydays and the method of payment; 6. Location of the work area, if unclear in the job context; 7. Information on when, where, and how formal organizational orientation/onboarding is conducted; 8. Leave accrual, use of leave, and reporting time; 9. Reporting absences and requesting leave, including specific notification procedures and contact information in case of illness, tardiness, etc; 10. Information on parking, bus stops, car pooling, etc.; 11. Operation of the phone system; a.

9 How to answer the phone in that particular work area 4 b. How to transfer calls c. How to set up and utilize voice mail, if applicable d. Rules for receiving and making personal calls e. How to be reached in case of an emergency 12. Procedures for obtaining supplies and other equipment; 13. Basic security requirements and procedures for handling confidential material and/or information so that the EMPLOYEE does not incur a violation; and 14. Dress code and behavior specific to the department or office.

10 Within the first week of employment, the immediate supervisor, human resources office, or other designee (representative) should discuss with the EMPLOYEE the New EMPLOYEE Checklist (Attachment 1). The representative should ensure that the EMPLOYEE is given adequate time to gain a clear understanding of the information and ask questions. When complete, the representative shall place the signed document in the EMPLOYEE s personnel file. Also, the representative should discuss key procedures, make introductions to co-workers, and offer some basic on-the-job training.